Display panel substrate defining hole for input image device and liquid crystal display having the same

ABSTRACT

A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate including: a display area including a plurality of pixels on the first substrate, a non-display area which is disposed on an outside of the display area and in which a dummy wire is disposed on the first substrate, and an image input hole which is defined therein in the non-display area and in which an image input device is disposed, a second substrate facing the first substrate and including a display area and a non-display area corresponding to those of the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, and a sealant which is in the non-display area of the first and second substrates and seals the liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. The dummy wire is disposed near the image input hole.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2015-0129027 filed on Sep. 11, 2015, and all the benefits accruingtherefrom under 35 U.S.C. § 119, the content of which in its entirety isherein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The invention relates to a liquid crystal display (“LCD”), and moreparticularly, to an LCD with an image input device such as a cameraembedded therein.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various flat panel-type display devices have been developed. Liquidcrystal displays (“LCDs”), among other flat panel-type display devices,have been widely used in various fields such as notebook computers,monitors, televisions (“TVs”), and the like because of their numerousadvantages such as high contrast ratio, suitableness for displayingmoving images, low power consumption, etc.

An LCD includes as one of its essential elements a liquid crystaldisplay panel in which a first substrate for driving liquid crystalmolecules and a second substrate for realizing colors are bondedtogether with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. The LCDchanges the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules bygenerating an electric field therein, and thus causes a variation inlight transmittance through the liquid crystal display panel.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a liquid crystal display(“LCD”) including an image input hole defined in a first substrate ofthe LCD for the installation of an image input device such as a cameralens, so as to reduce an overall thickness of the LCD. Exemplaryembodiments of the invention also provide an LCD in which an image inputhole can be formed in a first substrate of the LCD without causingdamage to a second substrate of the LCD that faces the first substrate.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention also provide a method of formingan image input hole in a first substrate of an LCD, which is capable ofimproving the defect rate during the formation of the image input holeby determining a total thickness of a first substrate and then formingthe image input hole.

However, exemplary embodiments of the invention are not restricted tothose set forth herein. The above and other exemplary embodiments of theinvention will become more apparent to one of ordinary skill in the artto which the invention pertains by referencing the detailed descriptionof the invention given below.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a LCD includes afirst substrate including a display area in which an image is displayed,the display area including a plurality of pixels, a non-display areawhich is disposed on an outside of the display area and in which theimage is not displayed, the non-display area including a dummy wire onthe first substrate, and an image input hole which is defined therein inthe non-display area and in which an image input device is disposed, asecond substrate facing the first substrate and including a display areacorresponding to the display area of the first substrate and in whichthe image is displayed, and a non-display area corresponding to thenon-display area of the first substrate and in which the image is notdisplayed, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first andsecond substrates, and a sealant which is in the non-display area of thefirst and second substrates and seals the liquid crystal layer betweenthe first and second substrates. The dummy wire is disposed near theimage input hole.

Also, the LCD includes a spacer which may be in the non-display area ofthe first and second substrates and maintains a gap between the firstand second substrates. In an area where the image input hole isdisposed, the spacer may be disposed between the first and secondsubstrates, and the sealant may be disposed to surround the spacer. Thespacer may include a transparent material and the dummy wire may includealuminum, silver or copper. The dummy wire may be disposed adjacent toan outer edge of the image input hole. The dummy wire may form a closedcurve around the image input hole.

Also, the dummy wire may be provided in plural. The plurality of dummywires may be spaced from one another by a predetermined distance. Amongthe plurality of dummy wires, with respect to the image input hole, twoopposite dummy wires may be spaced from a center of the image input holeby a same distance, and two non-opposite dummy wires may be spaced fromthe center of the image input hole by different distances. Among theplurality of dummy wires, each of two different dummy wires are spacedfrom a center of the image input hole by a same distance.

Also, the display area may further include gate wiring which is on thefirst substrate and through which signals for driving the pixels aretransmitted. The dummy wire may be disposed in a same layer as the gatewiring among layers disposed on the first substrate. The display areamay further include data wiring which is on the first substrate andthrough which signals for driving the pixels are transmitted. The dummywire may be in a same layer as the data wiring among layers disposed onthe first substrate.

Also, the LCD may further include a light-shielding pattern disposed onthe second substrate in the non-display area thereof. Thelight-shielding pattern may not overlap the image input hole.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method offabricating an LCD is provided. A method of fabricating an LCD includes:disposing a dummy wire on a first substrate in a non-display areathereof; placing the first substrate including the dummy wire thereon toface a color filter substrate and bonding the first substrate includingthe dummy wire thereon and the color filter substrate together;irradiating a laser beam toward the dummy wire on the first substratefrom outside the first substrate; measuring a laser beam reflected fromthe dummy wire on the first substrate; calculating a thickness of thefirst substrate based on the reflected laser beam; forming an incisionin the first substrate including the dummy wire thereon to a depthcorresponding to the calculated thickness of the first substrate, usingan incising tool; and forming an image input hole in the first substrateand corresponding to the incision and in which an image input device isdisposed.

The disposing the dummy wire provides the dummy wire in plural on thefirst substrate. For the plural dummy wires, the measuring the reflectedlaser beam includes measuring a plurality of laser beams respectivelyreflected from the plurality of dummy wires to determine locations ofthe plurality of dummy wires, and based on the plurality of reflectedlaser beams, determining a location of a center of the image input holeto be formed in the first substrate.

For the plural dummy wires, the determining the location of the centerof the image input hole to be formed in the first substrate includesmarking dots at the locations of the plurality of dummy wires,generating lines each connecting two diagonally opposite dots, anddetermining an intersection between the generated lines as being thelocation of the center of the image input hole to be formed in the firstsubstrate

The forming the incision in the first substrate includes rotating theincising tool about the location of the center of the image input holeto be formed in the first substrate.

The forming the incision in the first substrate includes locating edgesof the incising tool a predetermined distance apart from the center ofthe image input hole and inserting the incising tool into the firstsubstrate and rotating the incising tool about the location of thecenter of the image input hole to be formed in the first substrate.

Also, the forming the incision in the first substrate may includerotating the incising tool about the center of the image input hole tobe formed in the first substrate and the forming the image input holewhich is in the first substrate includes removing a portion of the firstsubstrate which is defined by the incision.

Also, the forming the image input hole which is in the first substratemay include attaching an adhesive member to a portion of the firstsubstrate which is defined by the incision and performing a separationprocess by applying a force to the adhesive member so as to remove theportion of the first substrate in the incision from a remaining portionof the first substrate outside the incision.

According to one or more of the exemplary embodiments, it is possible toimprove the defect rate during the formation of an image input hole in afirst substrate of a display panel without a requirement of additionalprocesses in manufacturing an LCD.

In addition, it is possible to easily determine a place in which to formthe image input hole and to precisely form the image input hole to aparticular depth in the first substrate.

Moreover, it is possible to easily determine a place in which to formthe image input hole by measuring an actual thickness of the firstsubstrate, and thus shorten the manufacturing process of an LCD.

Other features and exemplary embodiments will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other advantages and features of this disclosure willbecome more apparent by describing in further detail exemplaryembodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of anotebook computer application of a liquid crystal display (“LCD”)according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of LCDaccording to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a display panel of FIG. 2before the formation of a camera hole in area A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amanufacturing method of an LCD, according to the invention.

FIGS. 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating processes of anexemplary embodiment of a method of forming a camera hole according tothe invention.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a display panel of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are a cross-sectional view and a bottom plan view,respectively, of another exemplary embodiment of a display panelaccording to the invention.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are a cross-sectional view and a bottom plan view,respectively, of still another exemplary embodiment of a display panelaccording to the invention.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a displaypanel according to the invention.

FIGS. 15 to 17 are schematic views illustrating an exemplary embodimentof a process of recognizing a center of a camera hole with respect to adisplay panel of FIG. 14 based on the locations of the third dummywires.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a displaypanel according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which various embodiments areshown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms,and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forthherein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosurewill be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of theinvention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer tolike elements throughout.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”another element, it can be directly on the other element or interveningelements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element isreferred to as being “directly on” another element, there are nointervening elements present.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,”“third” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements,components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components,regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms.These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region,layer or section from another element, component, region, layer orsection. Thus, “a first element,” “component,” “region,” “layer” or“section” discussed below could be termed a second element, component,region, layer or section without departing from the teachings herein.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms, including “at least one,” unless the content clearly indicatesotherwise. “Or” means “and/or.” As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” or “includes” and/or “including” when used in thisspecification, specify the presence of stated features, regions,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof.

Furthermore, relative terms, such as “lower” or “bottom” and “upper” or“top,” may be used herein to describe one element's relationship toanother element as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understoodthat relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations ofthe device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. Forexample, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elementsdescribed as being on the “lower” side of other elements would then beoriented on “upper” sides of the other elements. The exemplary term“lower,” can therefore, encompasses both an orientation of “lower” and“upper,” depending on the particular orientation of the figure.Similarly, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elementsdescribed as “below” or “beneath” other elements would then be oriented“above” the other elements. The exemplary terms “below” or “beneath”can, therefore, encompass both an orientation of above and below.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It willbe further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and thepresent disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized oroverly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference tocross-section illustrations that are schematic illustrations ofidealized embodiments. As such, variations from the shapes of theillustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniquesand/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments describedherein should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes ofregions as illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapesthat result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a regionillustrated or described as flat may, typically, have rough and/ornonlinear features. Moreover, sharp angles that are illustrated may berounded. Thus, the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic innature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shapeof a region and are not intended to limit the scope of the presentclaims.

There has been a trend to install a camera lens in a liquid crystaldisplay (“LCD”) and thus to realize an LCD equipped with an image pickupfunction. An LCD including a camera lens may be implemented by disposinga hole in a case into which a liquid crystal display panel and abacklight are assembled and inserting the camera lens into the hole.With the camera lens inserted in the hole of the case, an overallthickness of the case may undesirably increase. Therefore, increasingattention is being drawn to installing a camera lens in a liquid crystaldisplay panel such as by disposing a hole in the liquid crystal displaypanel.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of anotebook computer application of a liquid crystal display (“LCD”)according to the invention.

More specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates an application of an LCD as partof a notebook computer 10, but the invention is not limited thereto. Oneor more exemplary embodiment of the LCD according to the invention isapplicable to various electronic devices, other than the notebookcomputer 10, such as a personal computer (“PC”), a mobile terminal, atelevision (“TV”), and the like. The notebook computer 10 is illustratedin FIG. 1 as having a display panel DP thereof exposed.

Referring to FIG. 1, the notebook computer 10 includes the display panelDP and an image pickup unit 200. When viewed in a plan view, the displaypanel DP is divided into a display area DA in which an image isdisplayed and a non-display area NDA which surrounds the display area DAand in which no image is displayed. A pixel area may be provided inplural in the display area DA. Each pixel area may include a pixel atwhich an image is displayed.

The image pickup unit 200 is disposed on the non-display area NDA, and alens of the image pickup unit 200 may be disposed facing a samedirection as a display surface of the notebook computer 10. The lens isdesigned to be connected to an LCD and thus to allow an image capturedby the image pickup unit 200 to be displayed through the display area DAof the display panel DP.

An exemplary embodiment of an LCD according to the invention willhereinafter be described.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of LCDaccording to the invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken alongline of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an LCD 100 includes a container 130, a lightsource module 530, a light guide plate 510, a reflective plate 520, amold frame 400, optical sheets 600, a display panel DP, a camera 210 anda cover 800.

The display panel DP may be provided as a rectangular plate with twopairs of parallel sides. The display panel DP includes a first displaysubstrate 310 and a second display substrate 320.

The first display substrate 310 and the second display substrate 320 aredisposed to face each other. The first display substrate 310 may be adisplay element substrate, and the second display substrate 320 may be acolor filter substrate. However, the invention is not limited to this.

An image input hole 330 is provided in a non-display area of the firstdisplay substrate 310. Portions of the display substrate 310 may definethe image input hole 330. The camera 210 may extended into the imageinput hole 330 such that the input image hole may otherwise be referredto as a camera hole 330. The camera hole 330 may be covered (e.g.,overlapped) by the second display substrate 320.

The container 130 may accommodate therein the light source module 530,the light guide plate 510, the reflective plate 520, the optical sheets600, the mold frame 400, the display panel DP and the camera 210. Thecontainer 130 may include or be formed of a metal or a plastic material.

The container 130 includes a storage space defined by sidewalls 110 anda bottom portion 120. The storage space may have a size capable ofproperly supporting the light source module 530, the light guide plate510, the reflective plate 520, the optical sheets 600, the mold frame400, the display panel DP and the camera 210 such that movement of theseelements is restricted within the storage space once they are stored inthe container 130, and for this, the sidewalls 110 and the bottomportion 120 may be provided. The top of the container 130 is covered bythe cover 800. For this, the size of the container 130 may be smallerthan the size of the cover 800.

The light source module 530 includes a light source 532 provided inplural and which generates light, and a circuit board 534 which isconnected to the light sources 532 and transmits a light source drivingsignal to the light sources 532. The circuit board 534 is connected to alight source driving unit (not shown) via a connecting line (not shown).The light source driving signal, which is provided by an external source(not shown), may be provided to the circuit board 534 via the connectingline, and may then be applied to each of the light sources 532 via thecircuit board 534. Examples of the light sources 532 may includelight-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) but the invention is not limited thereto.

The light source module 530 may be disposed near the sidewalls 110 ofthe container 130.

The light guide plate 510 is disposed to face the light source module530 in a direction in which the light source module 530 emits light. Thelight guide plate 510 may be disposed to overlap the display panel DP,and the light source module 530 may be disposed at or near one side ofthe light guide plate 510.

Light generated and provided by the light source module 530 is suppliedinto the light guide plate 510 through a light-incident surface of thelight guide plate 510, and is emitted toward the optical sheets 600through a light-emitting surface of the light guide plate 510. Thereflective plate 520 is disposed to face a bottom surface of the lightguide plate 510, which is opposite to the light-emitting surface of thelight guide plate 510.

An edge-type LCD in which the light source module 530 is disposed on aside of the light guide plate 510 has been described as an example ofthe LCD in the present exemplary embodiment, but the invention is alsoapplicable to a direct-type LCD in which the light guide plate 510 isexcluded and the light source module 530 is disposed on the bottomportion 120 of the container 130.

The mold frame 400 includes a body portion 410 and a support portion420. The mold frame 400 may include or be formed of a plastic material.The body portion 410 consists substantially of four sidewalls disposedinclined such as perpendicular to the bottom portion 120 of thecontainer 130, and the support portion 420 which protrudes from each ofthe sidewalls of the body portion 410 toward a corresponding oppositesidewall. The light source module 530, the light guide plate 510 and thereflective plate 520 may be disposed below the support portion 420, andmay thus be fixed by the container 130. The display panel DP is disposedabove the support portion 420 and is thus supported by the supportportion 420.

The cover 800 may be disposed on the display panel DP, and may surroundand cover the sides and upper peripheral edges of the display panel DP.The cover 800 may be formed as a rectangular frame. The display panel DPmay be fixed with the LCD 100 by coupling the cover 800 and thecontainer 130 together.

A camera window 810 may be defined at the cover 800. The camera window810 may be a hole defined penetrating the cover 800 or alight-transmitting window of a material through which light istransmitted. In an exemplary embodiment, for example, the cover 800 mayinclude or be formed of a colored material, and the camera window 810may be a transparent glass or plastic material disposed in the cover800. The camera window 810 of the cover 800 is disposed to overlap thecamera hole 330 in the first display substrate 310.

The camera 210 may include a lens and a printed circuit board (“PCB”) onwhich the lens is mounted. The PCB may be connected to an externaldriver via a flexible film. The camera 210 may be fixed onto the supportportion 420 of the mold frame 400 such as via an adhesive member (notillustrated). Examples of the adhesive member include an adhesive tape,but the invention is not limited thereto. The camera 210 is inserted andfixed in the camera hole 330 of the first display substrate 310 by beingfixed by the mold frame 400. The top (e.g., distal end) of the camera210 may be covered and protected by the second display substrate 320.

The camera 210 may extend through the camera hole 330 of the firstdisplay substrate 310 of the display panel DP, and may capture and imagelight input thereto via the camera window 810 of the cover 800.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the display panel DPexcluding the camera hole 330 in area A of FIG. 3. The location of adummy wire 290 on the display panel DP before the formation of thecamera hole 330 will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first display substrate 310 includes a firstinsulating substrate 311, the dummy wire 290 and a gate electrode 273,which are disposed on the first insulating substrate 311, a passivationlayer 281 which is disposed on the dummy wire 290 and the gate electrode273, a protective layer 280 which is disposed on the passivation layer281 and a pixel electrode 278.

The second display substrate 320 includes a second insulating substrate321, a light-shielding pattern 220 provided in plural, an overcoat layer227 which is disposed on the light-shielding patterns 220, and a commonelectrode 250 which is disposed on the overcoat layer 227.

A liquid crystal layer 200, a sealant 260 provided in plural and whichseals the liquid crystal layer 200 within the display panel DP, and aspacer 270 which may be cylindrical in shape, are each provided betweenthe first insulating substrate 311 and the second insulating substrate321 to be interposed between the first display substrate 310 and thesecond display substrate 320.

The first insulating substrate 311 and the second insulating substrate321 may include or be formed of an insulating material. Morespecifically, the first insulating substrate 311 and the secondinsulating substrate 321 may include an insulating material such astransparent glass, quartz, ceramic, silicon, transparent plastic and thelike, but the invention is not limited thereto.

A plurality of signal lines is disposed on the first insulatingsubstrate 311 and may drive each pixel of the display panel DP. Amongthe signal lines, the gate electrode 273 which is branched off from agate line (not shown), may be disposed on the first insulating substrate311 and may define a gate wiring on the first substrate 311. The dummywire 290 may include or be formed of the same material as the gateelectrode 273 and may be disposed on the same level (e.g., in a samelayer) of the first display substrate 310 as the gate electrode 273among layers disposed on the first insulating substrate 311. The gateelectrode 273 and the dummy wire 290 may include or be formed of analuminum (A1)-based metal such as Al or an Al alloy, a silver (Ag)-basedmetal such as Ag or an Ag alloy, a copper (Cu)-based metal such as Cu ora Cu alloy, a molybdenum (Mo)-based metal such as Mo or a Mo alloy,chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), or the like.

A gate insulating layer 279 may be disposed on the gate electrode 273and the dummy wire 290. Among the above-described signal lines, a sourceelectrode 277 which is branched off from a data line (not shown) and adrain electrode 276, may be disposed on the gate insulating layer 279and may define a data wiring on the first substrate 311. The dummy wire290 may include or be formed of the same material as the source anddrain electrodes 277 and 276 and may be disposed on the same level(e.g., in a same layer) of the first display substrate 310 as the sourceand drain electrodes 277 and 276 among layers disposed on the firstinsulating substrate 311.

The gate insulating layer 279 may be disposed between the gate electrode273 and the source and drain electrodes 277 and 276. The gate insulatinglayer 279 may insulate the gate electrode 273 from the source and drainelectrodes 277 and 276 so as not to allow a gate signal applied to thegate electrode 273 to be applied to the source and drain electrodes 277and 276. The gate insulating layer 279 may include or be formed of, forexample, silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiO₂), siliconoxynitride (SiON), or a deposition layer thereof.

A semiconductor layer 274 and an ohmic contact layer 275 are disposed onthe gate insulating layer 279. The semiconductor layer 274 may includeor be formed of, for example, hydrogenated amorphous silicon,polycrystalline silicon, an oxide semiconductor, or the like. Thesemiconductor layer 274 may form a driving element such as a thin-filmtransistor (“TFT”) together with the gate electrode 273, a sourceelectrode 277 and a drain electrode 276. A channel of the TFT may beformed at a portion of the semiconductor layer 274 exposed between thesource and drain electrodes 277 and 276.

In response to a gate signal being applied to the gate electrode 273, adata voltage applied to the source electrode 277 is applied to the drainelectrode 276, and is then applied to the pixel electrode 278 via thedrain electrode 276. The pixel electrode 278 is connected to andcontacts the drain electrode 276 at a contact hole defined in layers ofthe first display substrate 310, such as in the passivation layer 281and the protective layer 280.

The passivation layer 281 may be disposed on the source and drainelectrodes 277 and 276. The passivation layer 281 may include or beformed of SiNx, SiO₂, SiON, or a deposition layer thereof.

The protective layer 280 is disposed on the passivation layer 281 andmay remove any step differences in the passivation layer 281 byplanarizing the passivation layer 281. The protective layer 280 mayinclude or be formed of a transparent organic layer.

The second insulating substrate 321 may include a color filter layer 211which realizes a color in each pixel in the display area DA. The colorfilter layer 211 may be configured to provide colors such as red, blueand green in the pixels of the display area DA. A color filter providedin plural and rendering different colors may be disposed to form thecolor filter layer 211 such as being disposed at adjacent pixels withinthe display area DA. The light-shielding patterns 220 may be disposedbetween pixels in the display area DA. Each of the light-shieldingpatterns 220 may include or be formed of an organic film containing ablack pigment or dye. The light-shielding patterns 220 may impart alight-shielding effect by absorbing most of the light incidentthereupon. In some exemplary embodiments, each of the light-shieldingpatterns 220 may include or be formed as a collective stack of a metalfilm and a black organic film.

The light-shielding patterns 220 may include an opening 221 definedtherein, from which a material of the light-shielding patterns 220 ispartially removed in an area facing the first insulating substrate 311where the camera hole 330 is disposed. Since the light-shieldingpatterns 220 block light, without the opening 221 in the light shieldingpatterns 220, light would be blocked from proceeding to the camera 210which is to be inserted into the camera hole 330, and thus would makethe camera 210 unable to function properly. The light-shielding patterns220 may be formed on the entire surface of the non-display area NDAexcept for the opening 221.

The overcoat layer 227 may be disposed on the light-shielding patterns220. The overcoat layer 227 is disposed to cover the light-shieldingpatterns 220 and the entire surface of the second insulating substrate321. The overcoat layer 227 removes any step differences caused by thelight-shielding patterns 220 and thus planarizes the second insulatingsubstrate 321. The overcoat layer 227 may include or be formed as atransparent organic film.

The common electrode 250 may be disposed on the overcoat layer 227 andon the entire second insulating substrate 321. The common electrode 250may include or be formed of a transparent material such as indium zincoxide (“IZO”) or indium tin oxide (“ITO”). A common voltage is appliedto the common electrode 250, and as a result, the common electrode 250generates an electric field together with the pixel electrode 278,thereby driving the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer200.

The liquid crystal layer 200 is disposed between the first insulatingsubstrate 311 and the second insulating substrate 321 to be interposedbetween the first display substrate 310 and the second display substrate320. The sealants 260 which seal the liquid crystal layer 200 within thedisplay panel DP, are disposed along sides of a region where the liquidcrystal layer 200 is disposed. Two sealants 260 may be provided spacedapart from each other in a direction from the display area DA to thenon-display area NDA. In an exemplary embodiment, one sealant 260 may bedisposed along the boundary between the display area DA and thenon-display area NDA (right sealant 260 in FIG. 4) and another sealant260 may be disposed along peripheral sides of the non-display area NDA(left sealant 260 in FIG. 4), but the invention is not limited thereto.

The spacer 270 is disposed between the sealants 260, and maintains acell gap between layers on the first insulating substrate 311 and layerson the second insulating substrate 321. Although not shown in thedrawings, the spacer 270 may be provided not only in the non-displayarea NDA, but also in the display area DA. The spacer 270 may becylindrical in shape, and may include or be formed of a transparentmaterial. More specifically, in consideration that the lens of thecamera 210 to be inserted into the camera hole 330 is to be disposed toface the spacer 270, the spacer 270 may include or be formed of atransparent material in an area where the camera hole 330 is provided,and may be formed of a non-transparent (e.g., colored material) in anarea where the camera hole 330 is not provided.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of amanufacturing method of an LCD, according to the invention.

The display panel DP may be fabricated by, for example, a method thatwill hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first display substrate 310, which includesTFTs, and the second display substrate 320 are fabricated (S100). Analignment film is formed on each of the first and second displaysubstrates 310 and 320 (S110). A spacer is formed along the sides of thenon-display area NDA of the first insulating substrate 311, and asealant 260 is applied (S120) on the first insulating substrate 311. Aliquid crystal material is dropped onto the display area DA of the firstdisplay substrate 310 (S130), the second display substrate 320 istransferred such as using a vacuum hose and is arranged to face thefirst display substrate 310, and the first and second display substrates310 and 320 are bonded together (S140). As the sealant 260 is cured, thebonding between the first and second display substrates 310 and 320 maybecome stronger.

Once the first and second display substrates 310 and 320 are bondedtogether, a thickness within the first display substrate 310 in whichthe camera hole 330 is to be formed may be measured (S150). The camerahole 330 is formed to a depth corresponding to the measured thicknesswithin the first display substrate 310 (S160). The camera 210 isinserted into the formed camera hole 330 (S170). Thereafter, a drivingcircuit is attached (S180), and a backlight and a case are assembledtogether (S190), thereby completing the fabrication of the display panelDP.

An exemplary embodiment of method of forming the camera hole 330 in thefirst display substrate 310 will hereinafter be described with referenceto FIGS. 6 to 8.

A camera hole forming apparatus 700 is prepared. With reference to thestructure of FIG. 3, a thickness within the first display substrate 310may be measured using the camera hole forming apparatus 700.

The camera hole forming apparatus 700 includes a laser beam irradiator710 which outputs a laser beam, a laser receiver 730 which measures areflected laser beam, a thickness measurer 740 which measures a totalthickness of the first insulating substrate 311 within the first displaysubstrate 310 based on the reflected laser beam, and an incising toolsuch as a drill 720 which defines the camera hole 330 in the firstinsulating substrate 311 to a depth corresponding to the total thicknessof the first insulating substrate 311 measured by the thickness measurer740. The camera hole forming apparatus 700 may also include a centrallocation estimator (not illustrated), which estimates a central locationof the camera hole 300 with respect to the first insulating substrate311.

Referring to FIG. 6, the camera hole forming apparatus 700 places thelaser beam irradiator 710 near a bottom surface of the first insulatingsubstrate 311 at a location where the dummy wire 290 is formed on thefirst insulating substrate 311. Thereafter, the laser receiver 730determines a general location of the dummy wire 290 by measuring areflected laser beam initially output by the laser beam irradiator 710.Once the location of the dummy wire 290 is determined, the laser beamirradiator 710 outputs a laser beam again to be reflected from the dummywire 290 (refer to opposing arrows in FIG. 6).

The thickness measurer 740 may measure a total thickness of the firstinsulating substrate 311 based on the wavelength and intensity of thelaser beam reflected from the dummy wire 290. The dummy wire 290includes or is formed of an opaque metal and thus has a relatively highreflectivity. Accordingly, light output by the laser beam irradiator 710is reflected from the dummy wire 290, and the reflected light ismeasured by the laser receiver 730. The laser receiver 730 may measurethe wavelength and intensity of the reflected light. The thicknessmeasurer 740 may determine a total thickness of the first insulatingsubstrate 311 by comparing the wavelength and intensity of the reflectedlight, measured by the laser receiver 730, with the wavelength andintensity of the light output by the laser beam irradiator 710.

It will hereinafter be described how the camera hole forming apparatus700 drills the camera hole 330 in the first insulating substrate 311with reference to FIG. 7.

The drill 720 may be placed at a location along the first displaysubstrate 310 at which the camera hole 330 is to be formed, and may forman incision 331 in the first insulating substrate 311 (refer to FIG. 8)for forming the camera hole 330, so as to drill the camera hole 330 inthe first insulating substrate 311. The drill 720 is sharp enough topenetrate the first insulating substrate 311 of the first displaysubstrate 310. The incision 331 for forming the camera hole 330 may bedefined by inserting the drill 720 into the thickness of the firstinsulating substrate 311. The drill 720 may be inserted into the firstinsulating substrate 311 while rotating (refer to circular arrow in FIG.7) about a center of the camera hole 330 to be formed, where the centeris defined by a shape of the camera hole 330. The depth to which thecamera hole forming apparatus 700 is inserted into the first insulatingsubstrate 311 by rotating the drill 720 may be set to the totalthickness of the first insulating substrate 311.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display panel including theincision 331, which is formed by a drilling process as illustrated inFIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of area I of FIG. 8.

A separation process for forming the camera hole 330 after the formationof the incision 331 will hereinafter be described with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9.

At the incision 311, a material of the first insulating substrate 311remains attached to other layers of the first display substrate 310.

A member such as tape with relatively strong adhesive strength isattached onto a bottom of the material of the first insulating substrate311 where the incision 331 is formed. More specifically, the tape isattached onto the first insulating substrate 311 where the incision 331is formed, and then force is applied in a direction away from the otherlayers of the first display substrate 310. As such, tensile strengthapplied to the tape may also be applied to the material of the firstinsulating substrate 311 at the incision 331 due to the tape's adhesionto the material of the first insulating substrate 311 at the incision331. Since the incision 331 is formed in the first insulating substrate311, only the material of the first insulating substrate 311 within theincision 331 is separated. As a result of this separation process, thecamera hole 330 may be formed in the first insulating substrate 311.

The camera hole 330 may be partially exposed below the spacer 270. Thedummy wire 290 may also be separated from the first insulating substrate311 during the separation process performed on the incision 331.

The incision 331 may be formed to a depth Ta corresponding to the totalthickness of the first insulating substrate 311. Even though theincision 331 is illustrated as formed to the depth Ta, in an exemplaryembodiment, the camera hole 330 may be formed to a depth Ta+Tb. Sincethe dummy wire 290, the passivation layer 281 and the organic layer 280are attached to one another to form a collective layer, a portion of thedummy wire 290, the passivation layer 281 and/or the organic layer 280may also be removed from the first display substrate 310 during theseparation process performed on the material of the first insulatingsubstrate 311 at the incision 331 in the first insulating substrate 311.

When the dummy wire 290 is located at the center of the incision 331,the dummy wire 290 may be removed from the first display substrate 310due to the formation of the camera hole 330. Accordingly, with the dummywire 290 removed, the dummy wire 290 may not affect the camera 210.

Forming the camera hole 330 in the first display substrate 310 includesdetermining the total thickness of the first insulating substrate 311.Even though first insulating substrates are fabricated by the samemanufacturing method, they may have slightly different thicknesses fromone another once they are subjected to the formation of driving elementssuch as TFTs thereon. Thus, with thickness variation of the firstinsulating substrates, there is a risk that the incision 331 may beformed deeper than the thickness of the first insulating substrate 311so as to undesirably cause damage to the lower layers of the displaypanel DP, or may be formed too shallow to properly form the camera hole330 leaving some material of the first insulating substrate 311 at thecameral hole 330 unremoved.

However, if the actual total thickness of the first insulating substrate311 is determined and then the camera hole 330 is formed in the firstinsulating substrate 311 based on the actual determined thickness, thedefect rate of the display panel DP may be reduced. A display panel DPwith too deep or too shallow a camera hole cannot be repaired, causingexcessive waste. Thus, accurately determining the actual thickness ofthe first insulating substrate 311 before forming the camera hole 330,particularly at a place where the camera hole 330 is to be formed, wouldreduce unnecessary waste.

In a plan view, the spacer 270 may be larger in size than the camerahole 330 and may be disposed to completely cover the camera hole 330.That is, edges of the spacer 270 extend further than edges of thecameral hole 330. The spacer 270 is formed as a cylinder, and may becircular in a bottom plan view. The planar area of the spacer 270 may belarger than the planar area of the camera hole 330, and the camera hole330 may be disposed such that an entire planar area thereof is includedinside the planar area of the spacer 270.

Light leaked from the display area DA at sides of the display panel DPmay be undesirably incident on the camera 210. To reduce or effectivelyprevent light leaked at the sides of the display panel DP from beingcaptured by the camera 210, the sealants 260 disposed at opposing sidesof the camera hole 330 may include a black pigment material.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of adisplay panel DP which includes a first dummy wire 291, according to theinvention, and FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of area I of FIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, in an LCD 101, the first dummy wire 291may be disposed in the form of a ring shape along a camera hole 330.Thus, a distance ‘a’ between an outer edge of the camera hole 330(indicated by incision 331) and an outer edge of the first dummy wire291 may be uniform in the bottom plan view.

In an exemplary embodiment of forming the camera hole 330, the camerahole forming apparatus 700 may form the incision 331 to be spaced fromthe first dummy wire 291 by the distance ‘a’. Thus, the camera holeforming apparatus 700 may form the incision 331 for forming the camerahole 330 by rotating along a center defined by a shape of the firstdummy wire 291.

A portion of the first dummy wire 291, like the dummy wire 290 describedabove, may be removed from a first insulating substrate 311 during aseparation process which follows the formation of the incision 331, butthe invention is not limited thereto.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of still another exemplary embodimentof a display panel DP which includes a second dummy wire 292 accordingto the invention. FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of area I of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a second dummy wire 292 is formed outsideof an incision 331 for forming a camera hole 330. Thus, the second dummywire 292 may remain in an LCD 102 even after the formation of the camerahole 330.

The second dummy wire 292 may be disposed near the incision 331, and theouter edge shape of the second dummy wire 292 may differ from the outeredge shape of the camera hole 330. An outer edge of the camera hole 330may be separated from an inner edge of the second dummy wire 292, butthe invention is not limited thereto.

Accordingly, the second dummy wire 292 may still be located near anouter edge of the camera hole 330 even after the formation of the camerahole 330, and may form a closed curve along the boundary of the camerahole 330. In an exemplary embodiment of forming the camera hole 330, aportion of the second dummy wire 292 may remain, even after theinsertion of a camera 210 in the camera hole 330, to fix the camera 210within the display panel DP.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a displaypanel DP third dummy wires 293 according to the invention andillustrates the relationship between the third dummy wires 293 and acamera hole 330 of the display panel DP.

Referring to FIG. 14, a third dummy wire 293 may be provided in pluralseparated from each other. The third dummy wires 293 may be disposedalong an outside of a camera hole 330. The third dummy wires 293 arespaced from the center of the camera hole 330 by the same distance,e.g., a distance R (refer to FIG. 9). Accordingly, the center of thecamera hole 330 may be determined based on collective locations of thethird dummy wires 293.

FIGS. 15 to 17 are schematic views illustrating an exemplary embodimentof a process of determining the center of the camera hole 330 of thedisplay panel DP based on the collective locations of the third dummywires 293 in FIG. 14.

The camera hole forming apparatus 700 may recognize the individual andcollective locations of the third dummy wires 293, as illustrated inFIG. 15. The camera hole forming apparatus 700 may be equipped with asmany laser beam irradiators 710 as there are third dummy wires 293. Thelaser beam irradiators 710 of the camera hole forming apparatus 700irradiate laser beams over the third dummy wires 293, may measurereflected laser beams, and may be fixed over an area where a predefinednumber of the third dummy wires 293 are measured.

Alternatively, the camera hole forming apparatus 700 may be equippedwith a single laser beam irradiator 710, and may detect the locations ofthe third dummy wires 293, as illustrated in FIG. 15, based on thelocations where laser beams are respectively measured.

The camera hole forming apparatus 700 may mark dots d₁, d₂, d₃ and d₄ atthe respective locations of the third dummy wires 293.

The camera hole forming apparatus 700 may determine virtual or literallines each connecting a pair of diagonally opposite points among thedots d₁, d₂, d₃ and d₄, and may determine an intersection S between thetwo lines as the center of the camera hole 330.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 16, the intersection S between aline connecting the dots d₁ and d₃ that are diagonally opposite to eachother and a line connecting the dots d₂ and d₄ that are diagonallyopposite to each other may be determined as the center of the camerahole 330. The camera hole forming apparatus 700 places the drill 720below the first insulating substrate 311 at a location along the firstinsulating substrate 311 the distance R apart from the intersection S.As a result, the camera hole 330 is formed, as illustrated in FIG. 17.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a displaypanel DP including fourth dummy wires 294 according to the invention andexplains the relationship between the fourth dummy wires 294 and acamera hole 330 of the display panel DP.

Referring to FIG. 18, the fourth dummy wires 294 may be disposed atdifferent distances from the center of a camera hole 330. The method asillustrated in FIGS. 15 to 17 may be used to calculate an intersectionS, e.g., the center of the camera hole 330, based on the collectivearrangement of the fourth dummy wires 294. Even though the fourth dummywires 294 are not the same distance apart from the center of the camerahole 300, the center of the camera hole 300 may be easily determinedbased on the individual and collective locations of the fourth dummywires 294 because each pair of diagonally opposite fourth dummy wires294 are spaced from the center of the camera hole 330 by the samedistance.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid crystal display comprising: a firstsubstrate comprising: a display area in which an image is displayed, thedisplay area including: a plurality of pixels on the first substrate,and a signal wiring through which signals for driving the pixels aretransmitted, and a non-display area which is disposed outside of thedisplay area and in which the image is not displayed, the non-displayarea including: an image input hole which is defined therein in thenon-display area and in which an image input device is disposed, and adummy wire disposed a same distance from the first substrate as thesignal wiring in the display area, the dummy wire corresponding to alocation of the image input hole; a second substrate facing the firstsubstrate and comprising: a display area corresponding to the displayarea of the first substrate and in which the image is displayed, and anon-display area corresponding to the non-display area of the firstsubstrate and in which the image is not displayed; a liquid crystallayer interposed between the first and second substrates; a sealantwhich is in the non-display area of the first and second substrates andseals the liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates,and a spacer which completely covers the image input hole and maintainsa gap between the first and second substrates, the spacer being formedof a transparent material, wherein the spacer which completely coversthe image input hole further overlaps the dummy wire, side surfaces ofthe spacer directly contacting the sealant to be completely surroundedby the sealant.
 2. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein thedummy wire includes aluminum, silver or copper.
 3. The liquid crystaldisplay of claim 1, wherein the dummy wire is disposed adjacent to anouter edge of the image input hole.
 4. The liquid crystal display ofclaim 3, wherein the dummy wire forms a closed curve around the imageinput hole.
 5. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the dummywire is provided in plural near the image input hole.
 6. The liquidcrystal display of claim 5, wherein the plurality of dummy wires isspaced from one another by a predetermined distance.
 7. The liquidcrystal display of claim 5, wherein the plurality of dummy wires isspaced from a center of the image input hole by a same distance.
 8. Theliquid crystal display of claim 5, wherein among the plurality of dummywires, with respect to the image input hole, two opposing dummy wiresare spaced from a center of the image input hole by a same distance, andtwo non-opposing dummy wires are spaced from the center of the imageinput hole by different distances.
 9. The liquid crystal display ofclaim 5, wherein among the plurality of dummy wires, each two differentdummy wires are spaced from a center of the image input hole by a samedistance.
 10. The liquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the signalwiring of the display area includes gate wiring which is on the firstsubstrate and through which the signals for driving the pixels aretransmitted, and the dummy wire is disposed a same distance from thefirst substrate as the gate wiring, to be disposed in a same layer asthe gate wiring among layers disposed on the first substrate.
 11. Theliquid crystal display of claim 1, wherein the signal wiring of thedisplay area includes data wiring which is on the first substrate andthrough which the signals for driving the pixels are transmitted, andthe dummy wire is disposed a same distance from the first substrate asthe data wiring, to be disposed in a same layer as the data wiring amonglayers disposed on the first substrate.
 12. The liquid crystal displayof claim 1, further comprising: a light-shielding pattern disposed onthe second substrate in the non-display area thereof, wherein thelight-shielding pattern is disposed non-overlapping the image inputhole.